Towel service cabinet



vG. w. FERDON. T'OWEL SER-VICE CABlNET. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 19-21.

Patented Jan. 31; 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

v G. W. FERDON.

TOWEL SERVICE CABINET.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 10. 1921..

1,405,194. Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

3 SH EETSSHEET 2.

G. W. FERDON.

TOWEL SERVICE CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. I921.

Patented Jan.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

gpffrdazz.

ullill QLM MW UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE;

, GUY w. salmon, or oaEssKILnl-Naw JERSEY.-

TOWEL SERVICE oamrrn'r.

. Specification of Lett ers Patent. Patnted J 3,1 1, 31,1922,

Application filed March 10, .1921. Serial No. 451,202.

To all whom it mag concern: r

Be it known that I, GUY \V. FERDoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cresskill, county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Towel Service Cabinet;

andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a towel service cabinet, that is a cabinet for holding a supply of towels, kept readily accessible and more or less out of sight, means whereby individual towels may be successively brought into position for use, and after use be successively retired from sight, the towels being at all times exposed to circulation of' air and being also kept from re moval by unauthorized persons or for unde sirable use.- V Y My invention contemplates a device wherein a number of fresh towels may be strung upon a rod, used in turn, and ultimately moved upon the same rod to a position from which they may be removed by the service attendant or other authorized person, the

towels being kept at alltimes in such position that air may circulate freely among them and thus keep them dry. Towels when supplied in large quantity, are often damp and claznmy. It is my object to provide fresh towels so that they may be subjected to drying influences, as well as to have soiled towels so that they too may be dried.

Another object of my device is to keepthe towels from being readily removed or stolen, from public lavatories and places of that kind, and'also to keep. them from being used 7 for purposes for which they are not intended. It. often happens in a public lavatory, that a man will take a fresh towel, if he is not.

observed, to wipe the'dust off his boots, or to wipe his hat, orto do other things with .it for which a towel is not intended; It not infrequently happens that careless or lazy attendants of such places will use a fresh or soiled towl to wipe up the floor. My device protects the towels from such use.

My towel service cabinet is adapted for use in the wash rooms'of public places, such as railway stations, hotels, shops and oflices, on Pullman cars, etc.,'and also for use in private homes. Not only are fresh towels kept from unlawful use but the SOlIGd'tOWGlS as well. 5

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of'my whole device with partof the front broken away and the bent over top indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a top view. F ig. 3 is a perspective of my ring and sockets.'"'

Fig. 4: is a view of a ring of another form. Fig. 5 is a view of an arched cover which I may employ.

Fig. '6 is. a view showing rods of various cross section which I may employv for my ring.

Fig. 7 is a View of anotherform of socket. Fig. '8 is a View of another form of ring. Fig. 9 is a top view showing a modifica tion of the front piece.

Fig. 10 shows the same in front view. Figs. 11 and 12 are views of different forms of locking devices for locking my ring in" position whilein use.

Fig.13 is an-end view of the device shown inFigs.9and 10; p Fig. 14 is a view somewhat enlarged'show Figure 15'is a plan view of the cabinet' shown in Figs. 1 and-2, with the back piece omitted. J V V In the drawings, 1 represents my cabinet as a whole, 2 the back pieceof the cabinet having holes 3 by which it may be screwed to a wall or door, 4 is the front piece, .5

mg a socket with a safety set screw; and

loo

rated and kept in position by angle-"or U-shaped irons 6' at't-he bottom and top. "I,

i may make the front and 'backpieces, as well as the partition of galvanized iron, orother suitable metal or material, soldered or brazed atthe joints, or it may, of course,be enameled wood or iron, or even, if desired, nickel plated.

I may provide a mirror '7, as shown in largement hereshown asa knob 13'.

Figure 10, if desired, or may'elongate the back upwardly and place a mirror thereon.

On the top of the partition, which should otherwise fastened to the top of the partition.

Each of these sockets is provided with an opening into which an end 10 of a ring 11 may be thrust, and held by any suitable means, here shown as the thumb screws 12. I may make the two sockets in one piece.

In Figure 1 I show these sockets in line, continuous as one and the ring is continuous or closed.

I use the word ring here to express the part 11, which is a rod made of resilient metal bent to form a closed ring, which is shown as flattened at the sides. This part may be elliptical as shown, may be polygonal, may be annular, or of any other desired,

shape, and the word ring a generic sense.

Upon this ring I prefer to place a spring or prong 18. This is secured to the rod inany suitable way and is a spring pawl like device. parts of the ring. The towels for such devices are usually provided with a hole, buttonhole-stitched or provided with a grommet and the towels are strung through this hole upon the securing device. The prongs 1.3 prevent the careless withdrawal or return is here used in of a used towel to the grou of clean towels,

and the one on the left in igure- -1 prevents the careless withdrawal of a soiled towel by some unthinking person. On the free end of each of said prongs 13 I provide an en- In withdrawing a clean towel, should another one stick to it or should the user: unintentionally grasp two or more, as they ride up over the inclined elastic prong and come to theball 13, they tend to come apart or separate so that the continued withdrawal afi'ects only one towel, thusel-iminating the effect of carelessness and saving the towels.

- In loading my device the thumb screws 12in Figure 1, say, are loosened and the ring pushed to the right, preferably until the left hand loop or bend can restupon the front piece; Th ere may be a gap between the ends of the ring. asshown'in-Flgure 8, through which thetowels may bemoved and threaded upon the right hand end. This ring may have an oblique or diagonalslit- 10,

7 as shown in Figure 4, and the right hand end of the ring may be bent down and the towels threadedaccordingly. This form of device is particularly useful because the oblique slit gives to the end of the-ring a pointed character, whereby the towels are more jeasilystrung. The towels used in my device are usually supplied by the towel I'may have one at each end of the moved to the left in the sockets until the division point of the ring is approximately half way, when the thumb screws are screwed home and locked by one of the lockin devices shown in Figures 11, 12 and 14.

When a person wantsto use a towel he puts his hand over the top of the cabinet or around the edge of the front piece, and draws around the first towel. The prong or pawl '13 readily yields to the passage of a towel but prevents its return. Ifa second towel sticks to the first, the. ball end '13" separates them. After wiping his hands or face the user pushes the towel to'the left and around into the left hand compartment, preferablyshoving it over the pawl or'prong at the left. After all the .towels have been used, or when the towel service attendant comes again, he unlocks the thumb screws, loosens them and shoves the ring and its soiled towels to the left. He then removes the accumulated soiled towels by bending down the ring or taking them out through the gap, inserts the left hand endof the ring into its proper socket, shovesit through the sockets, which in the form shown in Figure 9 are in line, and loads again on the right and then proceeds to securethe ring in place.

Instead of having closed sockets and shov-- ing the ring through the sockets in line from left to right and vice versa, I may have a socket of the kind shown in Figures ,3 and 7. In Figure 3 the socket is adapted to use in connection'with the diagonally slit ring, and the ring, instead of beingcarried through the socket, is moved inand out sideways, being loaded, and after loading thrust into position. I

There is a particular advantage in using sockets of this style and rings of this type in that the loading of the rings may be done at the laundry where the towels are washed and a supply of rings .kept on hand, each ringcrosssection', as shown in Figure 6, and there is a certain advantage sometimes in having a r1ngmade'ofa rod of an irregular orpolygonal cross sectiomas shown at 14' and 15. As .a means, of locking I may make a hole 19 through the broad parts of one of both thumb nuts, see Figs. 11 and 12, and

through the said holes pass a rod or wire 20, secured with either a slit 21, see Fig, 11, or look 22, seeFig. 12.

I may mount a turning button 16, as

cated by the keyhole. 17, whereby the buttonv may bekept from turning, the bolt 18being,

thrown by they look to enter one of thesockets. I may also make my ring secure by employing safety set screws, of the kind shown at 18, Fig.14, which are provided with polygonal shaped 'holes in thetop into which'a key adaptedthereto, may be inserted, to turn the screws and unlock the ring '11, These screwsmay be sunk flush with thesurface of the sockets'an d' the holesmay be of any desiredshape, being preferably of odd shapes,

so as notto permit the screws to be turned save'by the proper key, I may also make the ring more or lessof spiral shape as indicated in Figure 8, and the sockets 8 would not, of course, in this case be in line. The

ring might thus be supported so. that it would not turn in the sockets.

I show an arched cover 19, see Figs. 1, 5

and 13, which may be of sheet metal or other material, and maybe hinged to the back and adapted to be turned forwardto or over the front piece. In-this case the cover 19 should be adapted for easy lifting for access to the towels. ,Thiscan be effected in any suitable way, as by a handle or rib, indicated at20, see Fig. 13. I may have a flat slotted cover, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.2 the corners .7 of the strung towels projecting through. v v l 7 llhe front piece maybe curved inward, as shown at 21,'at each side, see l igsQ, 10 and 13, so as: to aid more or less n keeping the towelsfrom view. .7 The device isadapted, asv stated, to be screwed to a wall or door,though itmay be, of course, suspended in any other way, or

mounted upon alstand The back piece may be omitted orskeletonized, as shown in Fig. 15, and the ironso, or their equivalents, attached directly to a walhpartition, or door. The front piece may also be eliminated partly or wholly. Thelp'artiti'on as a separating means betweenthe chambers may-be done away with, though some means for keeping the; front and back apart and for supporting the ring isnecessary. I have shownthefront piece smaller than the rear, althou h this condition may be changed;

withoutdeparting from the spirit of my in I l forming the rear; wall of the cabinet, 'aavertie partition member, securedto saidback; 'I piece and projecting outwards therefrom,i a,

front piece secured transversely totheouter; V

vention'. I have shownlocks of various sortsibut it is 'obviousthat other locking" means may be employed, if necess'ary, or none at all. 1 It 1s understood that n devices ofthis kindit is sufficient to render the ac-- ce'ss to the towels for improper use or theft, difficultQ a v j j It will thus be seen that I have invented a neat and efficientvfool proof device of simple construction wherein the towels are at all times kept suspended circulating air,

a member, I I

flattened at one side and slit near the center of said flattened side, the abutting ends of and thus kept dry. This-is advantageous.

Sometimes in devices of this kind the soiled' towels are not removed with that-degree of frequency which is desirable. .They are .70 in warm weather areapt to become foul" and dumped into a. can or other receptacle and moldy. They become offensive to smell as well as to sight. This may happen too in warm muggy weather iwith unuseddamp' freshtowels. By. my device all objection.

of this kind is obviated or removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new. and desireito secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A towel service cabinet comprising a bracket adapted to be attached-to .a wall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards theree from, sockets carried bysaid partition member wlth their axes transverseto said partition a resil ent rod bent to form .a ring said rod engaging in saidsockets, and the outer side of said ring projecting beyond the outer edge of said partition member, and the opposite loops. of said rod projecting on f opposite sides ofsaid partition member with 'means for clamping theends of therod in said sockets.

2. A towel service cabinet comprisingfa bracket adapted to be attached to a wall door, or other suitable substantiallyvertical surface, a vertical partitionmember secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, a front piece secured transversely to the outer end of said partition member to form a front wall for the cabinet, sockets carried by said partition member with their.

axes transverse to said partition member, a

resilient rod bent to form a ring flattened atone side and slit near the center of said flattened side, the abutt ng ends of said rod engaging in sand sockets,and the outer side of said ring projecting beyond the outer face of said frontpiece, and the oppositeloops said partition. member; with means for clamping the ends of saidrod in said sockets.

stantially vertical surface,

end of said partition member to form a front tov said partition member, to form a r ng. flattened near the centerof said .of said rod projecting on oposite sides of A towel service cabinet comprising a.

bracket havinga'back piece adaptedto be at; l

tached to a wall, fdoor, orfother suitable sub said back piece spectively,

sockets, and the outer side of said ring projecting beyond the outer face of said front piece, and the opposite loops of said rod projecting on opposite sides'of said partition member, with means for clamping the ends of said rod in said sockets.

4. A towel service cabinet comprising a bracket adapted to be attached to awall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, sockets carried by sald partition member with their axes transverse to said partition member, a resilient rod bent to form a ring near the center of said flattened side, the abutting ends of said rods engaging in said sockets, andth'e outer side of'said riug proj ecting beyond the outer edge of said partitionmember, and the opposite loops of said rod projecting on opposite sides of said pa rtition member, with means for clamping the ends of the rod in said sockets, and a pair of" resilient parallel prongs secured to said "ring on opposite sides, respectively, of said at anslit, the two prongs being inclined angle to'said flattened side of the mug, and being adapted to permit the sliding of the towels along said ring in one direction but to obstruct their movement in tlie opposite direction.

5.'A towel service cabinet comprising a bracketadapted' to be attached to a wall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, a v'erticalpartition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, a frontpiece secured transversely to the outer end of said partition member to'forin a' front Wall for the cabinet, sockets carried-by saidpartition member with their axes transverseto' said partitionmember, a resilient rod bent to form a ring flattened at oneside' and slit near thecenter'of said flattened side, the" abutting, ends. of said rod engagingin said socket and the outer sideof said ring projecting beyond the outer face of said front piece, and the opposite lo'ops'of s'ai'd rod projectingon opposite sides of said partition member, with means for clamping the ends of saidrod in said socket's, and a pair of resilient parallel prongs secured to said ring on opposite sides, re-

of said slit, the two prongs being inclined at an angle to said flattened side of the ring, and being adapted to permit the sliding ofv the towels along said ring in one direction but to obstruct their movement in the opposite direction.

6; towel service cabinet comprising a bracket having a back piece adapted to be attached to a wall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, said back piece forming the rear wall ofthe cabinet, a'vertical partition member secured to said back piece and projecting outwards thereflat-te'ned' at one side and slit from, a front piece securedtransversely to the outer end of'said partition member to form a front wall for the cabinet, sockets carried by said partition member with their axes transverse to said partition member,-a

resilient rod bent toform a ring-flattened atone side and slit near the center of said flattened side, the abutting endsof said rod engaging in said sockets, and the outer side of said ring projecting beyond the outer face of said front piece, and the opposite loops of said rod projecting on opposite sides of said partition member, with means for clamping the'ends of said rod in saidsockets,

and a: pair of resilient parallel prongs secured to said ring on opposite sides, respectively, ofisaid slit, the two prongs being 'inclined at an angle to said flattened side of the' ring, and bein adaptedto permit the sliding of the towe salong said ring in-one direction but to obstruct their movementlin the opposite direction.

7.,A towel service cabinet comprising a bracket adapted to be attached to a wall,

door, or other suitable substantially vertical 9 0' surface, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, sockets carriedby said, partition member with their axes transverse to said partition member, a resilient rodl-Vbent' to form a ring flattened at one sideand slit near the center of said flattened side, theabutting ends of" said rod enga'gin in said sockets, and the outer side of sai ring projecting beyond the outeredge ofsaidpartition mem and being'ada'pted' to permit the sliding-of 11 0* the towels alongsaid ring in one direction butto obst'ru'c'ti their movement in the jopp'o site direction, and the knobs being adapted,

respectively, to automatically separate a'd- V hering towels movedin one d rection, and 11 5- to protect the towels from being" torn by said prongs when moved in the opposite direction.

8. A towel service cabinet comprising a bracket adapted to be attached to a wall, 12D

door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom,a front piece secured transversely j to the outer end of saidp'artition member to form a front wall for the cabinet, sockets carried by said partition member with their axes transverse to said partition member, a resilient rod bent to form a ring flattened at one side and slit near the center of said aving a' 10% flattened side, the abutting ends of said rod engaging in said sockets, and the outer side of said ring projecting beyond the outer face of said front piece, and the opposite loops of said rod projecting on opposite sides of said partition member, with means for clamping the ends of said rod in said sockets, and

a pair of resilient parallel prongs, each havrate adhering towels moved in one direction,

and to protect the towels from being torn by said prongs when moved in the opposite direction. a

9. A towel service cabinet comprising a bracket having a back piece adapted to be attached to a wall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, said back piece forming the rear wall of the cabinet, a vertical partition member secured to said back piece and projecting outwards therefrom, a front piece secured transversely to the outer end of said partition member to form a front wall for the cabinet, sockets carried by said partition member. with their axes transverse to said partition member, a resilient rod bent to form a ring flattened at one side and slit near the center of said flattened side, the abutting ends of said rod engaging in said sockets, and the outer side of said ring projecting beyond the outer face of said front piece, and the opposite loops of said rod projecting on opposite sides of said partition member, with means for clamping the ends of said rod in said sockets, and a pair of resilient parallel prongs, each having a rounded knob on the end thereof, secured to said ring on opposite sides, respectively, of said slit, the two prongs being inclined at an angle to said .fiiattened side of the ring, and being adapted to permit the sliding of the towels along said ring in one direction but to obstruct their movement in the opposite direction. a ud the knobs being adapted, respectively, to automatically separate adhering towels moved in one direction, and to protect the towels from. being torn by said prongs when moved in the opposite direction.

10. A towel carrying ring for use in apparatus of the character described, comprising a resilient rod bent to form a ring having one of its sides flattened, the ring being slit at the approximate center of said flattened side, and a pair of resilient parallel prongs secured to said ring on opposite sides, respectively, of said slit, the two prongs being inclined at an angle to said flattened side of the ring, and being adapted to permit the sliding of the towels along-saidring in one direction but to obstruct their movement in the opposite direction. I

11. A towel carryingring for use in apparatus of the character described, comprising a resilient rod bent to form a ring having one of its sides flattened, the ring being slit at the approximate center of'said flattened side, and a pair ofresilient parallel prongs secured to said ring on opposite sides, respectively, of said slit, the two prongs being inclined at anangle to said flattened side of the ring, being provided with a knob at the free end thereof, said prongs being adapted to permit the sliding of the towels along said ring in one direction but; to obstruct their moveand each prong 1 ment in the oppositefdirection, and -said knobs being adapted to automatically separate adhering towels when moved along said ring. M i

l2. A towel carrying ring for use in apparatus of the character described, comprising a resilient rod bent to form a ring having one of its sides flattened, the ring being diagonally slit at the approximate centerof said flattened side, and a resilient inclined prong secured to said. ring near said slit, the said prong being provided with a knob at its free end, whereby to permit the sliding. of the towels along saidring in one direction, and to automatically separate adhering towels when so moved, but to obstruct their movement in the opposite direction. 13. A towel carrying'ring for use in apparatus of the character described, compriss ing a resilient rod bent to form a split ring,

and a pair of resilient parallel prongs se-- 1.4;. A towel carrying ring for use 111 appa- V ratus of the character described, comprising aresilient rod bent to form a split ring, and a pair of resilient parallel prongs secured. to said ring on opposite sides, respectively, of said split, the two prongs being inclined at an angle to said. flattened side of V the ring, and each prong being provided with a knob at the free end thereof, said prongs being adapted to permit the sliding of the towels along said ring in one direc tion but to obstruct their movement in the opposite direction, and said knobs be ng adapted to automatically separate adhering towels when moved along said ring.

15. A towel carrying ring for use in appearance of the character described, con prising a resilient rod bent to form a split ring, and a resilient inclined prong secured 'iso to said ring near said split, the said prong being provided with a knob at its free end, whereby to permit the sliding of the towels along said ring in one direction, andto automatically separate adhering towels when so moved, but to obstruct their movement in the opposite direction.

16. A towel service cabinet comprising a bracket adapted to be attached to a wall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, a front piece secured transversely to the outer end of said partition member to form a front wall for the cabinet, sockets carried by said partition member, a resilient rod; bent to form asplit ring, the adjacent ends of said ring slidably engaging in said sockets, and the outer side of said ring projecting beyond the outer face of said front piece, and the loops ofsaid ring, at either side of the split therein, projecting on opposite sides of said partition member, with means for cla ping the ends of said rod in said sockets.

17 A towel service cabinet comprising a bracket "having a back piece adapted to be attached to a wall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, said back piece forming the rear wall of the cabinet, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, a front piece secured transversely to the outer end of said partition member to form a front fall for. the cabinet, sockets carried by said partition member, a resilient rod bent to form a split ring, the adjacent ends of said ring slidably engaging in said sockets, and the outer side of said ring projectdoor, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, sockets carried by said'partition member, a resilient rod bent to form a split ring, the adjacent ends of said ring slidably engaging insaid sockets, and the outer side of said ring projecting. beyond the outer edge ofsaid partition member,and the loops of said ring, at either side of the'split therein, projecting on opposite sides of said partition member, with means for clamping the ends of said rod in said sockets.

19. A towel senvice cabinet comprising a bracket having a back piece adapted to be attachedto a wall, door, or other suitable substantially vertical surface, said back piece forming the rear wall of the cabinet, a vertical partition member secured to said bracket and projecting outwards therefrom, sockets carried by said partition member, a resilient rod bent to form a split ring, the

adjacent ends of said ring slidably engaging in said sockets, and the outer side of said ringprojecting beyond the outer edge of said partition member, and the loops of said ring, at either side of the split therein, projecting 011 opposite sides of said partition member, with means for clamping the ends of said rod in said sockets. 7

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature.

GUY FERDON. 

